Civil Discourse / Pathways To A Nuclear-Free Future

Nuclear weapons, nuclear materials, and nuclear wastes pose extreme risks to humanity and Planet Earth. On August 13, 2015 Civil Discourse host Jamie Newton explored the implications of military and nonmilitary applications of nuclear technology, and the prospects of progress toward a nuclear-free future, with three dedicated, expert activists: Jackie Cabasso, Daniel Ellsberg, and David Hartsough.

Jackie Cabasso has been Executive Director since 1984 of the Western States Legal Foundation (http://www NULL.wslfweb NULL.org/), which provides information, analysis, and legal assistance to nonviolent peace and environmental activists. Jackie has been an organizer and presenter at many conferences and demonstrations. She travels the world as a speaker and resource person, and she has been an accredited non-governmental organization (NGO) representative to many United Nations meetings on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (http://www NULL.un NULL.org/disarmament/WMD/Nuclear/NPT NULL.shtml) (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (http://www NULL.ctbto NULL.org/) (CTBT) – and more!

Daniel Ellsberg is a Senior Fellow of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (http://www NULL.wagingpeace NULL.org/). Dr. Ellsberg is best known as the RAND Corporation (https://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/RAND_Corporation) analyst who released the Pentagon Papers (http://www NULL.archives NULL.gov/research/pentagon-papers/) – the Pentagon’s 7000-page secret history of the Vietnam War – to the public. He was a Marine Corps officer and an official of the US State Department before serving as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Since the end of the Vietnam War, Daniel Ellsberg has been a lecturer, writer, and activist on the dangers of the nuclear era, wrongful U.S. interventions, and the urgent need for patriotic whistleblowing. He is the author of three acclaimed books and many articles.

David Hartsough is Executive Director of Peaceworkers (http://www NULL.peaceworkersus NULL.org/), and co-founder of the Nonviolent Peaceforce (http://nonviolentpeaceforce NULL.org/background/mission-history/11-about/history/45-how-it-all-began). The son of dedicated activists who joined in peace and justice demonstrations when he was still a child, David Hartsough found his life purpose as a teenager when he met Rev. Ralph David Abernathy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has led nonviolent training and organizing in many countries around the world. His new book, Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist, recounts many of his experiences and provides a wealth of resources for people who want to contribute to nonviolent social change.

The discussion covered a range of topics, including:

Dangers we face right now from military and non-military applications of nuclear technology.

Nuclear Secrecy: Realities that are officially concealed from the public of weapons development, risks of deliberate and accidental use of nuclear weapons, and continuing enhancement of the U.S. nuclear arsenal – and the value of patriotic whistle-blowing for effective action democracy.

Citizen Action for peace, justice, and full nuclear disarmament – the efficacy of grassroots action, and the case for conscientious civil disobedience.

International accords: The Nonproliferation Treaty – goals, and what has been accomplished.

Iran’s nuclear program: The agreement that has just been negotiated to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb – why ratification is vital to security for the U.S. and the world.

In observance of the 70th Anniversaries of the 1st detonation of a nuclear weapon at the Trinity Site in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico and the US nuclear attacks upon Hiroshima and Nakagaski, GMCR & KURU are presenting several programs related to these events that have changed the world and threaten its ultimate destruction. Follow the links below to hear these programs.